Island in the Desert
by Zanza8
Summary: Epilogue to Episodes #622 & #623 Season 20. Doc helps Festus through the aftermath of his ordeal in the desert.
1. Chapter 1

Festus got to his feet. A wave of dizziness fell on him and he shook his head, then moved slowly to the horses and unbuckled Matt's saddlebag. The marshal and Newly, right behind their friend, saw him take out the little folding shovel Matt always carried on long trips. "Festus, what are you doing?" asked Matt.

Dizzy again, Festus turned carefully and leaned against the horse. His voice was painfully raspy, but he spoke firmly. "I got to bury Ben, Matthew."

Matt and Newly exchanged a look, then the marshal took a step forward and reached for the shovel. Festus gripped it but he was too weak and Matt got it away from him easily. "The only thing you've got to do right now is rest."

Festus looked at him imploringly. "Matthew, I cain't rest 'til that old man is buried. You don't know what he done for me!" Festus slumped to the ground and his next words came out with a sob. "You don't know what he done to me."

Matt knelt beside his friend. "I'll take care of him, Festus, but I want you to wait here and get some rest. Now that's an order."

Festus caught his arm. "Just do me one thing, Matthew. If yore goin' to bury Ben, bury that gold with him."

Matt looked up at Newly, then back at his friend. Festus sat there, head hanging wearily, and Matt asked, "What about his family?"

"He didn't have no family."

"Then the gold belongs to you."

"No, it don't! I don't never want to see it or hear of it again!" The deputy's voice rose hysterically and Matt put his hands on his friend's shoulders.

"Take it easy, Festus. I'll do whatever you want." He shook his head and looked up at Newly. "Pass me that canteen."

Newly handed the canteen to Matt and the marshal gave it to Festus, watching him carefully. The deputy's dehydrated body craved water but it was still too soon to let him drink as much as he wanted and after a few frantic gulps Matt took the canteen away from him and stood up, his eyes pained as he turned to Newly. "Stay with him."

"Sure thing, Matt."

Matt looked at Festus for a long moment, then turned and walked off. Newly unfastened a bedroll and spread it out. "Come on, Festus, just lie down for a while."

Festus looked at him dully, then stretched out on the blanket. Newly covered him, then sat down to wait for the marshal's return.


	2. Chapter 2

After burying Ben Snow, Matt started looking for water. With so many trees and all the grass around Tenstrike there must be water, but his search proved futile. Late in the afternoon he returned to Festus and Newly.

As he walked up, Newly came to meet him. Matt looked over at Festus. "How is he?"

"He's been sleeping since you left. Did you bury the gold like he asked you to?"

Matt nodded. "I buried it. If Festus ever changes his mind he'll know where to find it. Newly, I've been looking for water and there isn't any. It must be deep in the ground, and you know we don't have much left. We've got to push on. Do you think he can ride?"

Newly frowned. "Maybe in a day or two. We don't have a day or two...what about a travois?"

"Well, we'd better get started then. I want to cover as much ground as we can before dark."

The two men had rigged carrying beds before and in half an hour they were ready to move. Festus was so deeply asleep he didn't wake when they transferred him and Matt asked anxiously, "Are you sure he's all right?"

Newly felt the deputy's face and shook his head. "Fever. I wish we didn't have to move him."

"Well, we can't stay here. As soon as we find water we'll stop till he's better." Matt swung into his saddle, Newly made one last check on the travois poles, and they headed out.


	3. Chapter 3

"Quit jobbin' me with that stick!"

Matt and Newly woke abruptly as Festus' voice rang through the night. The marshal reached the deputy first and leaned over him. "Festus? Festus!"

Festus opened his eyes and peered at Matt. He spoke again. "Ben, I ain't goin' another step 'thout a drink."

Newly brought a canteen and trickled water into the deputy's mouth. He felt his forehead and looked at Matt with concern. "He's burning up. I'm going to get the other canteen."

Matt nodded. A few miles from Tenstrike they had found a spring-a tiny one but enough to let them set up camp and make Festus comfortable. Newly left and the marshal asked gently, "Festus, can you hear me?"

Festus closed his eyes. "I hear you. Ben, you got to give us both a good rest or you'll be totin' your rotten gold your own self."

"Festus, it's Matt."

"Dixon and me, we ain't mules, you know! Even he don't deserve this!"

Newly returned with the other canteen and his extra shirt. "Get him out of his clothes, Matt."

Matt stripped the deputy while Newly tore up his shirt and soaked it with water. As they covered the sick man with the cold wet cloths he cried out in pain and the marshal looked at Newly. "He doesn't know me."

"He's delirious." Newly took the deputy's wrist. "Pulse is awful fast."

Festus jerked his hand away. "I done told you oncet 'bout jobbin' me with that stick, Ben! I ain't gonna tell you again!"

Newly leaned over the deputy and looked at his eyes. Sitting back, he passed his hand over his face. It was a gesture that reminded Matt strongly of Doc and the marshal wished the old man was there. It was nothing against Newly, of course. He'd been studying medicine for a couple of years now and was getting pretty good at it, but Doc had pulled them all out of some bad spots and he was a reassuring presence.

"I wish Doc was here." Matt started guiltily at hearing Newly put his thoughts into words. The young man sighed and stood up. "I'm going to refill the canteens, Matt. We've got a long night ahead of us. We're going to have to keep Festus cooled off and get as much water into him as he'll drink."

"He's not in any danger, is he?"

Newly looked down at the deputy as he tossed back and forth and his face was somber. "We just have to take real good care of him, Matt. I'll get that water now."

Matt watched him go, then took his friend's burning hands in his and spoke sharply. "Festus!" The deputy opened his eyes. "Festus, there's got to be a part of you that can hear me. You hold on. Do you understand? You hold on."

"Cain't, Ben. I need a rest."

"You can rest as long as you want."

"Can I have some water?"

"Sure you can. As soon as Newly gets back."

Festus moaned and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for you, Ben. All those years in the desert you been hatin' a dead man. I'm powerful sorry for you, but I got to be goin'! I got me a family in Dodge and they's gonna be wonderin' where I'm at." Matt felt a lump in his throat as his friend rambled on. "Newly and Miss Kitty and Matthew and Doc...ornery old scutter...you'll just have to be happy with your gold, Ben. I want to go home."


	4. Chapter 4

Doc Adams shuffled down Front Street, black bag heavy in his hand. It had been a very long day. Twenty miles out to a farm to deliver a baby, then an emergency another five miles out. Just a broken arm on a youngster climbing too high in a tree, but that took time, and then there was the drive back. Doc took out his watch. Two o'clock in the morning! No wonder no one was out.

Well, not quite. A lone figure was approaching from the end of the street. Doc was too old and had been through too much to feel any trepidation and he continued along until he could make out the other man's features. Then he heard the jingle of spurs. "Festus, what are you doing up? Is anything wrong?"

"Oh, no, Doc. Nothin' like that. I couldn't sleep so I wuz just takin' a walk."

Doc looked keenly at his friend. It had been almost a week since Matt and Newly returned with Festus. He knew the deputy had been through an ordeal, but the man looked worse now than when he rode in. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was growing gaunt. Doc ran his hand over his face. "Well, I'm going upstairs to bed. I think I'll have a nightcap if you'd like to join me."

Festus hesitated, then smiled a little. "That's mighty thoughty of you, Doc. I could use a drink."

"I've never seen you when you couldn't," snapped the old man. The deputy's face fell and Doc said quickly, "Oh, for Heaven's sake, Festus. I've hardly seen you since you got back. Here." He held out his bag. "Carry this, will you?" Festus took the bag and Doc led the way upstairs.

Once inside, Doc lit the lamp while Festus sat quietly by the door. The old man hung up his hat and put his bag away, then rummaged in the back of his medicine cabinet. "By golly, I knew it was in here," he said, emerging triumphantly with a bottle. He poured a generous drink and handed it to Festus, then took a more modest amount for himself. They sat for a moment in silence, then Festus took a sip and smacked his lips.

"That's real smooth, Doc."

"It ought to be. It was twelve year old scotch six years ago." Doc swirled the amber liquid and tasted it, nodding appreciatively. "Why aren't you sleeping?" Festus looked startled and the old man's voice softened. "You haven't been sleeping at all lately, have you?" Festus shook his head and gulped his drink. Doc refilled his glass and waited.

"I don't rightly know, Doc." The deputy's voice was very low. "Ever' time I drop off, I think I'm back in that desert. Hot enough to fry a horseshoe and loaded like I wouldn't pack a mule and that old man jobbin' me with a stick and hittin' me when I wanted some water..."

Doc struggled to keep his expression neutral. He had been angry when Matt told him what happened. Now, hearing his friend speak of it, he felt rage stirring. It wasn't his way to say so, but there was a powerful bond between him and Festus and he would have done anything to keep the deputy from being hurt. The old man sighed, putting away his anger. Ben Snow was dead and there was no point in dwelling on the past. Festus was hurting now and he needed Doc.

"Festus, it's not so strange that you're having trouble sleeping."

"It's not?"

"Of course not! After what you've been through anybody's nerves would be on edge."

Festus swallowed more whiskey. "Golly bill, Doc, you know I ain't the nerveeous type."

"No, you're not, but I'm not talking about being nervous." The deputy looked bewildered and Doc went on. "Look, it's like having a broken leg. It takes time to heal. Right now you've been through such a bad time that it's like...well, it's like you're broken inside. You need time to heal." Festus looked down into his glass, then raised it to his mouth and finished the contents. He didn't speak and the old man walked over to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know how much time it will take, Festus, and that's the truth, but I can promise you this. I can promise you that now you're safe at home with the people who love you, you're going to start feeling better. Maybe not so much at first, but a little more every day. You'll be able to sleep and eventually that time in the desert will seem like just a bad dream." Festus looked up at his friend, his soft hazel eyes brightening, and Doc swallowed hard and ran a hand over his face. "Right now I'm going to give you a prescription."

"Doc, I don't need no little pink pills."

"Well, you're not getting any! Will you let me be the doctor?"

"All right, but..."

"Be quiet." Doc filled Festus' glass to the brim. "I want you to drink that down. Every drop. Then you're going to take my spare bed and sleep as long as you like, and when you get up we're taking a few days to go fishing."

"Fishin'! Doc, are you sure yore feelin' all right?"

"I'd feel a lot better if my patients didn't always argue with me! Now finish your drink. Go on."

Festus drained his glass and Doc pulled him up. He was pleased to see the deputy was unsteady on his feet, and he gave him a little push towards the bedroom door. "Come on, now, you're going to bed. And take off those boots!"

Festus made his way to the other room. Doc listened as the boots dropped to the floor and the bed creaked. Soon a loud discordant snoring sounded and Doc shook his head, smiling slightly.

"Doc?" Matt poked his head through the door. "Everything all right? I saw your light on."

Doc put up a hand and crossed to the bedroom door. Satisfied Festus was asleep he shut the door softly and got a clean glass. "Have a drink, Matt?"

"Well, thanks. I just got in myself. Who's the patient?"

"Festus."

Matt looked worried. "He hasn't been too good. I thought he'd pick up once we got home."

Doc poured the whiskey and sat down. "He will, Matt. It may take a while, but Festus is going to be just fine."


End file.
